Visiting Experts - FAQs for Students

What is the Alumni Visiting Experts Series?

CBEY created the Alumni Experts Series to sponsor alumni back to campus as a resource for students. Each cohort of Experts will consist of professionals across industry from the Yale Alumni Community. 

What can I ask an Expert?

Expert office hours are open to all kinds of advice – it’s up to you! In general, students tend to ask about: 

  • Career trajectories 
    • How did you get to where you are today?
    • Is there anything you wish you had done differently?
    • What’s the most difficult aspect of working at X company or X industry?
    • Do you have any advice on how I can position myself for this kind of job?
  • Industry trends 
    • Who are the major players driving innovation in the space? 
    • Which companies or leaders do you follow? 
  • Project support
    • Sabin/Sobotka ideas
    • Business clinic support
    • EPC projects

 

How do I follow up with an Expert?

Ask the expert how they'd prefer you follow up with them. You can book another follow-up meeting with an expert via Calendly, but be mindful they want to meet with as many different students as possible. 

How do I cancel my session? 

Please formally cancel your meetings times by using the Calendly, or contact the Expert directly.

Do I have to take the meeting alone? 

Absolutely not! These meetings can be taken in groups, regardless of whether or not you are part of an organized group or have your own questions. Just let the Expert know what you’d like to discuss with your duo/group.

Can I meet an Expert for less or more than 30 minutes?

Yes! In the past, some students have only needed 15 minutes of Experts’ time. If you anticipate this to be your case, please note that when you sign up for a session. Most Experts have several different meeting lengths available for you to choose from.

What can I do to prepare? 

  • Prepare 3-4 questions for the Alumni Expert 
  • Perform a background search on the Alumni Expert to learn about their career/current job
  • Take a look at the Informational Interviewing page of the Yale Office of Career Strategy.

 

 

INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW GUIDE

Open:

  • Introduce yourself: Degree, area of focus, current interests 
  • State what you want to talk about, why it’s important, and what you hope to get out of the conversation

Develop (Example Questions): 

  • Can you tell me a little about your decision to focus on X? 
  • I've reviewed the list of clients and projects your team has worked on. Could you provide me with some details about the work that goes into an X project? 
  • Could you tell me about the workplace culture at X, and what an X position does on a typical day? 
  • What are some of the top skills and perspectives you gained at Yale? 
  • Did you do an internship or research while at Yale? What was it? 
  • Are there specific skills you would recommend I gain to improve my qualifications for work as an X position for X company? Specific courses? 
  • Can you tell me about your job search and application to your current employer? 
  • Do you have any general advice for me on navigating the job search? Applying for X positions?

Close: 

  • Summarize what you discussed in the conversation, go over the main points and reiterate action items (i.e. introductions, sharing resources, etc.) 
  • Thank the Alumni Expert for their time